2015 French Open Final: Djokovic v. Wawrinka

[kskate2]

While I agree it was a less than desirable draw for him, he is the undisputed #1 for a reason. He's beaten all the players you mentioned at least once this year and pretty handily in some cases. He's expected to survive these tests. He didn't bring his best level to the final. I actually would like to see that match (where both players bring their best level at the same time).

People may not want to use the word choke and that's fine. But there's tentativeness, tightness, hesitation, a lack of confidence, no acceptance of expectation or whatever you want to call it when it comes to the business end of most slams and this one in particular. He's been a heavy favorite several times coming into this slam and he's laid an egg every year for the last 4.

As BJK once said, pressure is a privilege. I don't think he embraces the expectation or pressure.

I agree with you Kate, but I just wanted to avoid any polemic by my use of the 'C' word. I think that Fedal in their prime did what they had to do to get the 'W', and a few times Novak has wobbled at the last, despite looking incredibly dominant in the lead up. I do agree with most, that he should be given a pass for this one. Stan would have beaten anyone... and I mean anyone.. yesterday. It's exactly what I said, and felt when he dispatched Roger as well. He was playing 21st century tennis that day. Obviously the accumulation of surprise defeats is building up against Nole, and it's not unreasonable to question his mentality on finals day.

But like most others, the one match I will criticise him for is his Wimbledon loss to Murray. He just seemed so passive and accepting in that one, and there was no wind or excessive heat if my recollection is right (seeing as I lived just a few hundred yards away I think I have special authority on that! ). I really didn't think that Murray did anything special, and quite frankly the pressure was on Andy. It's tough to beat the hometown favourite, but it's been done before. Was it 2006 when Roger beat Agassi at Flushing? That wasn't exactly a friendly crowd, and he was playing against an all time great to boot. Whatever Becker is doing didn't work properly this time. I sincerely hope he'll take his chance next year or the year after. He's too good not to get another opportunity

I'm a bit late weighing in, as I had a lovely party in the country and only caught up to the match on replay. I agree with everyone who says that there wasn't much anyone could do against Wawrinka once he caught fire and stayed committed, but it is possible that Novak was thinking more of the title, and the impending disappointment, than staying in the moment. I don't agree with Kskate that he doesn't embrace the pressure or the expectation, generally: he often does, very well. But I do agree that it seems sometimes he falls down specifically in that way in some key moments. It was a tough draw, but he was looking focused and relaxed until the final, mainly. I think it's a big monkey on his back. (Also, a minor niggle: Djokovic has not been a heavy favorite coming into the French until this year.)

And Federberg, I agree with you that Nole's performance in the 2013 final at Wimbledon was a bit of a mystery, as to why Murray won in straights, though I disagree that Murray did nothing special. That one, like yesterday's, was a focused and committed performance, that time on Andy's part. But there is no one, including Murray's family, who would have predicted in 3 sets. I don't think the Del Potro SF completely explains how flat Novak was.

I said he hasn't brought his best at the business end of many slams. IMO, he's not embracing the pressure in those matches. He brings it all throughout the tournament, but too many times he has looked like the 2nd rate player in the SF or Final.

Along w/ Nadal, he's absolutely been a heavy favorite Mox. In 2011 he was tauted as being the one guy who could take Nadal down because he'd done it the warmups. There was so much hype around RG11 and Nole's streak. What happened that year? He was dismissed by Grandpa Fed in the SF. In 2012 there was still hype, but not as much as 2011. He even got to the final that year and what happened then? DF on MP in the final. :nono

In 2013, Nadal was just coming back from his injury and the hype started yet again. This time, he would have to go through Nadal in the SF in order to attain the title. What happens then? He actually is up a break in the 5th and then proceeds to unravel after touching the net. Every year, he's gotten closer and closer and last year everyone was picking Novak to finally win it. What happens? He shows up and plays one of his worst matches in a final and DF on MP again. Shall I go on?

 

[Moxie]

^ The difference between us is really just semantics and degrees, I think, K. I wouldn't have said "a heavy favorite" for someone who was co-favorite, but you didn't say, "THE" heavy favorite, so I get you now. As to the other, I wasn't going to go as harsh on Novak, but I do agree that he has mysteriously lost intensity at the last/late stage of a few Slams. I do think the French looms too large for him, even though he's tried to deflect that talk in the last 2 years. Sometimes, also, I feel he can get ahead of himself, like at the USO last year v. Kei. Nishikori was great, so all credit, but Novak was a bit sluggish. I felt that he'd already put himself in the final, and wasn't properly in the match at hand, and then it was too late. Maybe that's all too much reading in, but it doesn't seem to happen to him at the MSs.

 

[Federberg]

^I think there's a simple reason it doesn't happen to him at the MSs. He is eager to place himself in the history books alongside Fedal, and the way to do that is via the slams.

I recall watching Novak in the waiting area before they were announced in the Final on Sunday. He was bouncing around, and looked very keyed up. Stan actually came late (or some time after him at least), I wondered whether Stan was trying mind games on him. I didn't think too much of it, but maybe there is a context to that now. Who knows..